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Upvaas Batata Kachori is a wonderful healthy snack especially made during fast/ upvaas or vraths (religious poojas). This dish is made without using onions or garlic etc and is made with potatoes seasoned with fresh coconut and roasted peanuts.

In this recipe, mixture of boiled potato and maida is used to make the cover. Coconut and peanuts are used for making the stuffing. It’s a quick and easy recipe made with very few ingredients. Upvaas batata kachori can be served during tea time or served as an appetizer or accompanied with full meals. It’s an excellent dish for all those who regularly follow fasting and upvaas.

A basic Kachori is a spicy snack popular in various parts of India especially northern India. The kachori is often prepared in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Bengal and Orissa. Kachori is known by various names such as Kachauri or kachodi or katchuri. Kachori is believed to have originated in Uttar Pradesh or Rajasthan. In these states, the kachori is usually shaped in round flattened ball made of fine flour filled with a stuffing of baked mixture of yellow moong dal or urad, besan, black pepper, red chilli powder, salt and other spices.

A number of variations can be given in making the Kachori. Some of the variants are dry kachori, peas kachori, khasta kachori, lilva kachori etc. Mawa Kachori is a popular sweet version dipped in sugar syrup. This is another form of Kachori which is famous in Rajasthan cuisine. In Delhi region, generally the Khasta kachori or Raj Kachori is prepared. Other variant includes sweet upvaas kachori made with a mix of potato, coconut and sugar. Kachoris are usually accompanied with yummy and tangy chutney made with tamarind, mint or coriander. Fried and stuffed with pulses (especially urad and moong) kachori is often made in Kutch region in Gujarat. Kachori stuffed with peas is a delicacy in the Bengal region. Aloo kachori, a delicious deep fried snack is much liked in northern India.

Potatoes or Batata is extensively used in northern India. Although potato is not native to India and believed to be introduced during the British Raj rule, today it is one of the most sought after ingredient used in a variety of Indian dishes. India is now one of the largest producers of Potato in the world today. Potato is one of the most liked tubers among the kids and they love eating when fried. Potato chips are one of the most favourite dishes among children and crave for more.

Potatoes can be used with almost in every Indian vegetable preparation or sometimes added to chicken and meat dishes too. You can combine potatoes with cauliflower, cabbage capsicum or even brinjal. Hence you have Indian vegetable dish names such as potato curry, cauliflower potato curry, eggplant potato curry, potato fry, beans potato curry, mutton and potato curry, potato masala and so on. It goes well and adds to the taste of all vegetables cooked the Indian way. In fact many mothers have to necessarily add it to their vegetables so that young children are more agreeable to eating their daily veggies!

To prepare this scrumptious and nutritious Upvaas Batata Kachori, firstly add 1 tbsp ghee in a pan, add when the oil is hot enough add cumin seeds, crushed green chillies, ground coconut, salt and little black salt. Cook this for few minutes. Add roasted peanut powder, sugar and mix well. Keep aside and cool this mixture. Take 2 cups boiled, grated potatoes, add 1 tsp hot ghee, salt for seasoning, and cornflour. Mix of these ingredients and form into dough. Make lemon sized balls and keep aside. Take a dumpling of dough and slightly dusting some flour in your palm and finger, flatten the dough and stuff some peanut and coconut mixture and cover it well with the potato mixture evenly on all sides. Heat oil in a pan on low to medium heat and when it gets hot, drop the dumpling and fry on medium heat until golden brown.

Serve hot with coconut & peanut chutney.

The simplest way to tempt your kids in eating various foods is adding a potato. Do try this recipe and you will surely like it. It’s simple and delicious. Click on the below link to watch the making of this dish: